U.S. patent application number 14/260285 was filed with the patent office on 2014-10-30 for near field communication module.
This patent application is currently assigned to ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is Si-Hua Chen, Kai-Min Lin. Invention is credited to Si-Hua Chen, Kai-Min Lin.
Application Number | 20140320353 14/260285 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51788795 |
Filed Date | 2014-10-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140320353 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lin; Kai-Min ; et
al. |
October 30, 2014 |
NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION MODULE
Abstract
A near field communication module applied to an electronic
device is provided. The near field communication module includes a
flexible circuit board, a first sensing antenna and a second
sensing antenna. The flexible circuit board includes a first part
and a second part connected with each other. The first sensing
antenna is disposed at the first part. The second sensing antenna
is disposed at the second part. The first sensing antenna is
connected to the second sensing antenna. After the flexible circuit
board is bended, it is disposed at a side of the electronic
device.
Inventors: |
Lin; Kai-Min; (Taipei City,
TW) ; Chen; Si-Hua; (Taipei City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Lin; Kai-Min
Chen; Si-Hua |
Taipei City
Taipei City |
|
TW
TW |
|
|
Assignee: |
ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC.
Taipei City
TW
|
Family ID: |
51788795 |
Appl. No.: |
14/260285 |
Filed: |
April 24, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61817300 |
Apr 29, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
343/702 ;
343/893 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01Q 1/2216 20130101;
H01Q 1/38 20130101; H01Q 7/00 20130101; H01Q 21/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
343/702 ;
343/893 |
International
Class: |
G06K 7/10 20060101
G06K007/10; H01Q 1/22 20060101 H01Q001/22; H01Q 21/00 20060101
H01Q021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 27, 2014 |
TW |
103111527 |
Claims
1. A near field communication module, applied to an electronic
device comprising: a flexible circuit board including a first part
and a second part connected to each other; a first sensing antenna
disposed at the flexible circuit board and located at the first
part; and a second sensing antenna disposed at the flexible circuit
board and located at the second part, wherein the first sensing
antenna is connected to the second sensing antenna, after the
flexible circuit board is bended, the flexible circuit board is
disposed on a side of the electronic device.
2. The near field communication module according to claim 1,
wherein the electronic device includes: a first housing; and a
second housing electrically connected to the first housing, wherein
the near field communication module is disposed at one of the first
housing and the second housing.
3. The near field communication module according to claim 2,
wherein the first housing includes a first surface and a second
surface opposite to each other, the first sensing antenna is
located at the second surface of the first housing, and the second
sensing antenna is located at the first surface of the first
housing.
4. The near field communication module according to claim 2,
wherein the second housing includes a third surface and a fourth
surface opposite to each other, the first sensing antenna is
located at the third surface of the second housing, and the second
sensing antenna is located at the fourth surface of the second
housing.
5. The near field communication module according to claim 2,
further comprising: a sheet disposed at a surface of the flexible
circuit board, wherein the sheet, and the first sensing antenna and
the second sensing antenna are located at opposite sides of the
flexible circuit board, after the flexible circuit board is bended,
the flexible circuit board is disposed on the side of the first
housing or the second housing via the sheet.
6. The near field communication module according to claim 2,
wherein the flexible circuit board further includes a third part,
the third part is connected to the first part and the second part,
after the flexible circuit board is bended, the third part is
located at a side wall of the first housing or the second
housing.
7. The near field communication module according to claim 6,
further comprising: a connecting wire, wherein the connecting wire
crosses the third part and is connected between the first sensing
antenna and the second sensing antenna.
8. The near field communication module according to claim 7,
further comprising: a first bridge wire, wherein the first bridge
wire bridges over a part of the first sensing antenna and is
connected between the connecting wire and the first sensing
antenna; and a second bridge wire, wherein the second bridge wire
bridges over a part of the second sensing antenna and is connected
between the connecting wire and the second sensing antenna.
9. The near field communication module according to claim 6,
further comprising: a third sensing antenna, wherein the third
sensing antenna is disposed at the flexible circuit board and
located at the third part, the third sensing antenna is connected
to the first sensing antenna and the second sensing antenna,
respectively, after the flexible circuit board is bended, the third
sensing antenna is located at the side wall of the first housing or
the second housing.
10. The near field communication module according to claim 9,
further comprising: a first bridge wire, wherein the first bridge
wire bridges over a part of the first sensing antenna and a part of
the third sensing antenna, and the first bridge wire is connected
between the third sensing antenna and first sensing antenna; and a
second bridge wire, wherein the second bridge wire bridges over a
part of the second sensing antenna and connected between the
connecting wire and the second sensing antenna.
11. The near field communication module according to claim 1,
wherein the area of the first part of the flexible circuit board is
larger than or equal to the area of the second part.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the priority benefits of U.S.
provisional application Ser. No. 61/817,300, filed on Apr. 29, 2013
and Taiwan application serial no. 103111527, filed on Mar. 27,
2014. The entirety of each of the above-mentioned patent
applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a
part of this specification.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to a communication module and, more
particularly to a near field communication module.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Near field communication (NFC) is also called short distance
wireless communication, it is a short distance high frequency
wireless communication technology and developed from the
non-contact radio frequency identification (RFID) and the
interconnect technology. The near field communication technology
allows two electronic devices to have a point-to-point connection
by approaching or contacting each other, so as to transmit and
exchange data.
[0006] With the multiple functions of NFC, such as easy to store,
manage and transmit the data, if a consumer portable electronic
product, such as a mobile phone, a watch, a camera, a portable game
machine or a notebook computer, is integrated with the NFC, a
variety of functions, such as the identification, the data
exchange, the cost-per-action can be equipped, and the
functionality of the electronic products is improved.
[0007] However, when the near field communication antenna is
integrated to the electronic products, the high frequency harmonics
generated by the near field communication antenna would be affected
by the metal casing or other metal components of the electronic
device, which reduces the recognition rate of the near field
communication, or even leads the NFC antenna failure. To avoid the
affection of the components, the position and the size for the near
field communication antenna is limited, it is difficult to find an
appropriate position where an antenna is not interfered. On the
other hand, the near field communication antenna is usually
disposed at one surface (such as the back cover) of the electronic
product, which only provides one way wireless transmission and data
exchange.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A near field communication module applied to an electronic
device is provided, which can achieve the wireless transmission and
data exchange at two or more directions.
[0009] The near field communication module in the disclosure
includes a flexible circuit board, a first sensing antenna and a
second sensing antenna. The flexible circuit board includes a first
part and a second part connected to each other. The first sensing
antenna is disposed at the flexible circuit board and located at
the first part. The second sensing antenna is disposed at the
flexible circuit board and located at the second part. The first
sensing antenna is connected to the second sensing antenna. After
the flexible circuit board is bended, it is disposed at a side of
the electronic device.
[0010] The near field communication module is disposed in a first
housing or a second housing of the electronic device. After the
flexible circuit board of the near field communication module is
bended, the first sensing antenna and the second sensing antenna at
the flexible circuit board are located at two opposite surfaces of
the first housing or the second housing, respectively, and then
magnetic lines generated by the first sensing antenna and the
second sensing antenna emit towards two opposite directions,
respectively. In other words, under the configuration, the two-way
wireless transmission and data exchange can be achieved according
to the magnetic field induction principle, so as to improve the
convenience in operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the
present invention will become better understood with regard to the
following description, appended claims, and accompanying
drawings
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a near field
communication module applied to an electronic device in an
embodiment.
[0013] FIG. 2A is a top view showing the near field communication
module applied to the electronic device in FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 2B is a front view showing the near field communication
module applied to the electronic device in FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the unfolded near
field communication module in FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an unfolded near field
communication module in another embodiment.
[0017] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are a top view and a front view showing
a near field communication module applied to an electronic device
in an embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the unfolded near
field communication module in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a near field
communication module applied to an electronic device in an
embodiment. Please refer to FIG. 1, in the embodiment, an
electronic device 100 (such as a notebook computer) includes a
first housing 110, a near field communication module 130 and a
second housing 120 connected to the first housing 110. The first
housing 110 may be a display module, and the second housing 120 may
be a host of a notebook computer. The notebook computer can be
closed via the relative rotation of the host and the display module
for portability, if the user wants to use the notebook computer,
the display module is unfolded for easy operation. The electronic
device 100 also may be a tablet computer (that is the first housing
110), and the second housing 120 may be an expansion dock which can
match and assemble with the tablet computer, which is not limited
herein. Except for the physical electrically connection, the first
housing 110 and the second housing 120 also be electrically
connected via the wireless connection, which is not limited
herein.
[0020] The first housing 110 includes a first surface 111 (such as
the display surface) and a second surface 112 (such as the back
surface) opposite to the first surface 111. The second housing 120
includes a third surface 121 (such as the surface which the
keyboard is on) and a fourth surface 122 (such as the bottom
surface) opposite to the third surface 121. The near field
communication nodule 130 may be disposed at the first housing 110
or the second housing 120. In the embodiment, the near field
communication module 130 is disposed at the first housing 110 or
the second housing 120, respectively, which is not limited herein.
In other embodiment, the near field communication module 130 also
may be only disposed at one of the first housing 110 and the second
housing 120.
[0021] FIG. 2A is a top view showing the near field communication
module applied to the electronic device in FIG. 1. FIG. 2B is a
front view showing the near field communication module applied to
the electronic device in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram
showing the unfolded near field communication module in FIG. 1.
Please refer to FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B and FIG. 3, the near field
communication module 130 includes a flexible circuit board 131, a
first sensing antenna 132 and a second sensing antenna 133. The
flexible circuit board 131 is bendable, and it includes a first
part 131a and a second part 131c which are connected to each other.
In the embodiment, the area of the first part 131a of the flexible
circuit board 131 is equal to that of the second part 131c, which
is not limited herein.
[0022] The first sensing antenna 132 is disposed at the first part
131a of the flexible circuit board 131, and the second sensing
antenna 133 is disposed at the second part 131c of the flexible
circuit board. The first sensing antenna 132 and the second sensing
antenna 133 are two loop antennas connected to each other, which
are made of conductive metals, such as copper, aluminum, tin, gold
or silver, which is not limited herein. In an embodiment, the
flexible circuit board further includes a third part 131b, and the
near field communication module 130 further includes a connecting
wire 134. The third part 131b is connected to the first part 131a
and the second part 131c, the connecting wire 134 crosses the third
part 131b and is connected between the first sensing antenna 132
and the second sensing antenna 133.
[0023] After the flexible circuit board 131 is bended, it is
disposed at the side 113 of the first housing 110 and the side 123
of the second housing 120, respectively. The first sensing antenna
132 is located at the second surface 112 of the first housing 110
and the third surface 121 of the second housing 120, respectively.
The second sensing antenna 133 is located at the first surface 111
of the first housing 110 and the fourth surface 122 of the second
housing 120, respectively. In that case, the third part 131b is
located at the side wall 114 of the first housing 110 and the side
wall 124 of the second housing 120, respectively. Thus, since the
first sensing antenna 132 and the second sensing antenna 133 may be
two loop antennas, after the current is induced to the first
sensing antenna 132 and the second sensing antenna 133, the
magnetic field is generated, respectively. The first sensing
antenna 132 and the second sensing antenna 133 may surround the
first part 131a and the second part 131c counterclockwise,
respectively. Thus, magnetic lines 32 of the magnetic field around
the first sensing antenna 132 (located at the second surface 112)
emit through the second surface 112, magnetic lines 33 of the
magnetic field around the first sensing antenna 133 (located at the
first surface 111) emit through the first surface 111. The two
emitting directions are opposite.
[0024] On the other hand, magnetic lines 32' of the magnetic field
around the first sensing antenna 132 (located at the third surface
121) emit through the third surface 121, magnetic lines 33' of the
magnetic field around the second sensing antenna 133 (located at
the fourth surface 122) emit through the fourth surface 122. The
two emitting directions are different. Under the configuration,
when the electronic device 100 in the embodiment is operated, it
can have two-way wireless transmission and data exchange with other
electronic devices via one or both of the first sensing antenna 132
and the second sensing antenna 133, and thus the operation is more
convenient.
[0025] For example, the using method of the near field
communication function includes following steps: putting the card
or the device with near field communication function on the first
sensing antenna 132 or the second sensing antenna 133, and then
coupling the antenna of the card with the magnetic field generated
by the first sensing antenna 132 or the second sensing antenna 133,
so as to achieve the wireless transmission and data exchange.
[0026] In the embodiment, the near field communication module 130
further includes a sheet 135 made of the ferrite or the
electromagnetic shielding material. Conventionally, the sheet 135
is disposed at a surface 131' of the flexible circuit board 131
where the first sensing antenna 132 and the second sensing antenna
133 are not disposed at, for example, the sheet 135 completely
cover the surface 131' of the flexible circuit board. That means,
the sheet 135, and the first sensing antenna 132 and the second
sensing antenna 133 are located at the opposite sides of the
flexible circuit board 130, therefore, after the flexible circuit
board 130 is bended, it can be disposed on the side 113 of the
first housing 110 and the side 123 of the second housing 120 via
the sheet 135, respectively. In that case, the sheet 135 can
separate the first sensing antenna 132 and the second sensing
antenna 133 from the electronic components, the metal components,
and the side 113 of the first housing 110, and the sheet 135 can
also separate the first sensing antenna 132 and the second sensing
antenna 133 from the electronic components, the metal components,
and the side 123 of the second housing 120, so as to block the
effect of the above components on the magnetic field around the
first sensing antenna 132 and the second sensing antenna 133, and
then the reliability of the wireless transmission and data exchange
is improved.
[0027] On the other hand, as to the connection of the first sensing
antenna 132, the second sensing antenna 133 and the connecting wire
134, as shown in FIG. 3, the near field communication module 130
further includes a first bridge wire 136 and a second bridge wire
137. The first bridge wire 136 bridges over a part of the first
sensing antenna 132 and is connected between the connecting wire
134 and the first sensing antenna 132. The second bridge wire 137
bridges over a part of the second sensing antenna 133 and is
connected between the connecting wire 134 and the second sensing
antenna 133. Thus, after the current is induced to the first
sensing antenna 132 and the second sensing antenna 133, the current
can flow through the first sensing antenna 132 and the second
sensing antenna 133 smoothly, and the electrical interference is
not easily generated.
[0028] The near field communication module 130 in FIG. 1 is just an
example, in other embodiments, the near field communication module
130 also may be disposed at the area A, B, C or D of the FIG. 1
according to practical requirements, which is not limited herein.
The wirings of the first sensing antenna 132 and the second sensing
antenna 133 as shown in FIG. 3 are taken an example, which is not
limited herein. In other words, the wirings of the first sensing
antenna 132 and the second sensing antenna 133 can be adjusted
according to the positions of the electronic components or the
metal components of the first housing 110 and the second housing
120. That means, the wirings of the first sensing antenna 132 and
the second sensing antenna 133 need to keep away from the
electronic components or the metal components of the first housing
110 and the second housing 120, so as to avoid the electromagnetic
interference.
[0029] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an unfolded near field
communication module in another embodiment. Please refer to FIG. 4,
in the embodiment, the difference between the near field
communication module 130a and the near field communication module
130 in FIG. 3 is that the area of the first part 131d of the
flexible circuit board 1311 of the near field communication module
130a is larger than the area of the second part 131e. Therefore,
the surrounding area of the first sensing antenna 132a on the first
part 131d is larger than that of the second sensing antenna 133a on
the second part 131e. Thus, when the user disposes the card or the
device with near field communication function on the first sensing
antenna 132a, a larger sensing area is generated to couple with the
magnetic field generated by the first sensing antenna 132a, so as
to improve the convenience in operation.
[0030] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are a top view and a front view showing
a near field communication module applied to an electronic device
in an embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the
unfolded near field communication module in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B.
Please refer to FIG. 5A, FIG. 5B and FIG. 6, different from the
above embodiments, in the embodiment, the near field communication
module 130b further includes a third sensing antenna 138. The third
sensing antenna 138 may be a loop antenna made of conductive
metals, such as copper, aluminum, tin, gold or silver, which is not
limited herein. In detail, the third sensing antenna 138 is
disposed at the flexible circuit board 1312 and located at the
third part 131b. The third sensing antenna 138 is connected to the
first sensing antenna 132 and the second sensing antenna 133,
respectively.
[0031] Further, the third sensing antenna 138 may be connected to
the first sensing antenna 132 via the first bridge wire 136a. The
first bridge wire 136a bridges over a part of the first sensing
antenna 132 and a part of the third sensing antenna 138, and it is
connected between the third sensing antenna 138 and the first
sensing antenna 132. The third sensing antenna 138 may be connected
to the second sensing antenna 133 via the second bridge wire 137a.
The second bridge wire 137a bridges over a part of the second
sensing antenna 133, and it is connected between the third sensing
antenna 138 and the second sensing antenna 133.
[0032] After the flexible circuit board 1312 is bended, the third
sensing antenna 138 is located at the side wall 114 of the first
housing 110 and the side wall 124 of the second housing 120,
respectively. The first sensing antenna 132 is located at the
second surface 112 and the third surface 121, respectively. The
second sensing antenna 133 is located at the first surface 111 and
the fourth surface 122, respectively. Since the first sensing
antenna 132, the second sensing antenna 133 and the third sensing
antenna 138 may be three loop antennas, the magnetic field is
generated after the current is induced to the first sensing antenna
132, the second sensing antenna 133 and the third sensing antenna
138. The first sensing antenna 132, the second sensing antenna 133
and the third sensing antenna 138 may surround the first part 131a,
the second part 131c and the third part 131b counterclockwise,
respectively. Thus, the magnetic lines 32a of the magnetic field
around the first sensing antenna 132 (located at the second surface
112) emit through the second surface 112, the magnetic lines 33a of
the magnetic field around the second sensing antenna 133 (located
at the first surface 111) emit through the first surface 111, the
magnetic lines 34a of the magnetic field around the third sensing
antenna 138 (located at the side wall 114) emit through the side
wall 114, the three emitting directions are different.
[0033] The magnetic lines 32a' of the magnetic field around the
first sensing antenna 132 (located at the third surface 121) emit
through the first surface 121, the magnetic line 33a' of the
magnetic field around the second sensing antenna 133 (located at
the fourth surface 122) emit through the second surface 122, the
magnetic lines 34a' of the magnetic field around the third sensing
antenna 138 (located at the side wall 124) emit through the side
wall 24, the three emitting directions are different. Under the
configuration, when the electronic device 100A is operated in the
embodiment, it can have three-way wireless transmission and data
exchange with other electronic devices via one or all of the three
sensing antennas, so as to improve the convenience in
operation.
[0034] In detail, the wirings of the first sensing antenna 132, the
second sensing antenna 133 and the third sensing antenna 138 should
be adjusted according to the positions of the electronic components
or the metal components of the first housing 110 and the second
housing 120. That means, the wirings of the first sensing antenna
132, the second sensing antenna 133 and the third sensing antenna
138 need to keep away from the electronic components or the metal
components of the first housing 110 and the second housing 120, so
as to avoid the electromagnetic interference.
[0035] In conclusion, via the near field communication module
disposed in the first housing or the second housing of the
electronic device, and the first sensing antenna and the second
sensing antenna of the flexible circuit board are respectively
located at the opposite surfaces of the first housing or the second
housing after the flexible circuit board of the near field
communication module is bended, which makes the magnetic lines
generated by the first sensing antenna and the second sensing
antenna emit towards the two opposite directions, respectively. Or
a third sensing antenna is further disposed between the first
sensing antenna and the second sensing antenna, and thus after the
flexible circuit board is bended, the first sensing antenna and the
second sensing antenna are located at the opposite surfaces of the
first housing or the second housing, and the third sensing antenna
is located at the side wall between the two opposite surfaces,
which makes the magnetic lines generated by the first sensing
antenna, the second sensing antenna and the third sensing antenna
emit towards the three different directions. In other words, under
the above configuration, the wireless transmission and data
exchange at two or more directions can be achieved according to the
magnetic field induction principle, so as to improve the
convenience in operation.
[0036] On the other hand, the sheet made of the ferrite or the
electromagnetic shielding material is attached to the flexible
circuit board, and thus it can block the affection of the
electronic components or the metal components of the first housing
and the second housing on the magnetic field around the first
sensing antenna, the second sensing antenna and the third sensing
antenna, so as to improve the reliability of the wireless
transmission and the data exchange.
[0037] Although the present invention has been described in
considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments
thereof, the disclosure is not for limiting the scope. Persons
having ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and
changes without departing from the scope. Therefore, the scope of
the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the
preferred embodiments described above.
* * * * *